


gifts and trinkets

by sheepweeps



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Child Jun, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, I want to cradle small jun, Inspired by junhao’s huya live, Jun takes care of Minghao, Jun turned into a child, M/M, Minghao’s trying not to be an emotional wreck, This is so soft, but he fails anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27435622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheepweeps/pseuds/sheepweeps
Summary: As Minghao plans to celebrate his day of birth an unexpected twist greets him in the form of a small child with a pure soul.He realizes that youth did not stop his lover from becoming sincere with everything he does.
Relationships: Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65





	gifts and trinkets

**Author's Note:**

> edit: i’m sorry if there were any errors i’m still learning how to write!

Minghao was fixing the sewn flowers on his white collar, its red petals he had handcrafted were not as durable as the few months he left in the drawer. With a sigh, he looked at his reflection and fixed his ebony strands that covered his eyes. His curved lips were paler than usual and the bags surrounding his eyes were not to be mistaken with the dark paint he had smudged last week.

He looked fine, well dressed than most days, yet a gloomy cloud has been surrounding him since yesterday and his face looked as if it was in need of a well rested sleep. However, he had rested for the past few days and has been fulfilling tasks he wanted to do for quite a time now. 

Minghao felt the churning of his stomach and the way his eyes felt heavy, he knows what that feeling was yet he won’t show it. Well at least he won’t be obvious as to why he’ll frown whenever Junhui comes home to him. He knows not to get jealous of his partner just because of his barely there presence, yet, it was still tearing him down. 

He is upset as to why his lover will come home when the sun has set far beyond his usual time of arrival for the past few days. Especially, when his day of birth was closer and he had promised to come home earlier to cook Minghao his favorite meals because of the occasion

Well, he won’t be able to chase time, definitely not now since it was his birthday. 

Time and time again Minghao always reminded himself that jealousy was an unwanted feeling that can break a relationship. But a small part of his mind knew that Junhui was a sight to be seen. With maidens and bachelors alike who looked at him as if he was one of the marble sculptures created by esteemed artists. His lover might not know that he was seen as a beautiful being while holding his potted flowers on his way to work. 

Junhui was dense and kind at the same time; he’d help women by carrying their baskets and crates all the way to the market and when he was asked if they could repay his help he'd smile it off and feed the cats near the canals. It made Minghao feel warm because of Junhui’s innocence and caring nature but also an urge to throw orange paint to whoever looked at his lover’s smiling face. 

With a huff, he scanned his face and twisted the knob to tell that he was ready to go out of town and visit his mother. But before he can even utter a word a small child was sitting on the chair near their bed, looking at knick knacks that Junhui liked to collect.

His small hands were holding a small cat figure that they had bought in the fare. The child was distracted with the figurine playing with it and adding small gushing voices. His small body was vibrating with joy, his gray jumper was loose with the long sleeves covering half his fingers.

“Who are you?” Minghao asked, his voice was small to not let the child be frightened.

The boy turned his head towards him and slowly lets go of the figurine, his puffy cheeks jutted and his mouth quirked to the side.

“Aren’t you a friend of Mama?” The child’s little voice was gentle, his curious eyes looked at the older and tilted his head.

Minghao looked at the kid in front of him, his eyes were tiny crescents and his lips were pursed to a fine line. The child’s knees were dangling on the chair, swaying back and forth just as how Junhui does when he’s focused with something. He looked exactly like the image of Junhui’s old baby photo that Minghao framed with a dozen other photographs in his crafting room. 

Minghao’s body was still, eyes falling shut; he was immersed with the current situation that made him feel like one of the tulips that was drained out and wilting from Junhui’s shop. He looked at the child to make sure it was his significant other’s child self and not just a random youngster Junhui has brought to feed biscuits. 

As he opened his eyes, it was truly a carbon copy of Junhui from two decades ago. 

“Yes” he decided to say in a hurry.

The child was still staring at him but his mouth was now pulled into a toothy grin, his cheeks were bright and his eyes crinkled as he looked at Minghao.

“Mother always has the prettiest of friends! Are you a prince? Mother never told me she knows someone from the royal family!” The younger exclaimed, looking at Minghao with awe that made him feel a warm pull on his chest.

It was pure amazement from a curious child, funnily enough, he was far from being a royal. They were both just commoners that were able to save a hefty sum from their jobs. 

Minghao huffed and suppressed a small smile, he was not good with children and he never had a chance to interact since he was the only child from the family. He left the room all of a sudden and planned to listen to the radio and start setting their food for the afternoon instead of his planned outing. He prepared a stew for Junhui on the table for him to eat while he was absent, but it looks like he’ll be eating with his miniature self.

Just as he walked beside the hallway, he felt the little Junhui waddling beside him and held onto his clothing. His little head was seen on the right of his periphery.

As they were nearer to the staircase Minghao stopped, his body leaned on to the wall. He felt lightweight and his head experienced a sudden pang. He knew a terrible headache was about to attack him, he sat still and relaxed his body. He blames his drifting emotions and his habit of not sleeping well late at night due to his worries.

Junhui patted his head and looked at him with worry, his small frame knelt beside him. “I think you should go to bed.”

* * *

He woke up all of a sudden. Minghao touched his forehead and felt his cold fingers caressing his feverish skin. Fortunately, Minghao was able to lunge his body onto the bed before blacking out. He looked at his side and found the little child absent. 

Their room was shut from any sunlight, thankfully someone managed to close the window and move the curtains, it lessened the damage that was painstakingly making Minghao want to pass away. Only the loud clanging bell from the cathedral near them and the creaking wooden floor can be heard. 

Before Minghao could fall back to his slumber, Junhui opened the door with a small bucket and a rag and made his way to the bed. The child silently placed the bucket by his side and dipped the cloth then twisted it and dried the rag. He neatly folded it and placed it on Minghao’s forehead. 

Junhui’s small voice then tells Minghao that he’ll bring him some food and water he saw on the table. Before Minghao can even realize what the whole ordeal was his vision blackens and soon enough he goes back to sleep with a small child tucking him in tightly as he nestled in the warm sheets and the cold cloth placed on his forehead.

After a few hours Minghao was able to wake up and ingest the food Junhui has given to him. He remained awake after gulping down a glass of water and stared at the plain ceiling, he was gradually feeling better and fortunately, the ache has now subsided.

The child was still with him, not leaving his sight unless he refilled his glass every now and then. Junhui was sitting on the chair just as before and held the small cat figurine he was playing after eating with him.

Minghao then looked at the boy: his small body was looking at the cat and petting it gently with his small palm as if it was real. 

The boy was literally his lover, he was Junhui who smiled at little things he was fond of and scrunched his nose every passing second. He’s the man who takes care of him every time he experiences pain and never leaves his side when he stays inside their room whenever he is sick. He’s the man who would give him blooming flowers he’d rarely have in stock and place it on the vase beside him as he wakes up.

Junhui notices Minghao’s state and smiles at him. “Are you feeling better now sir?”

“I am, my name is Minghao, call me Minghao.” He said, voice wavering due to his weak state.

The child hopped off from the chair and went beside Minghao still grasping at the figurine. “I’m Junhui! Friends call me Jun, so you can call me Jun!” He cheered happily and placed his hands on the sheets. 

“Whenever Mother comes back after her transactions at the capital she always comes back home sick, I hope you don’t overwork yourself like mama.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been resting well since I have time because it’s my birthday.” 

Junhui frowned at Minghao, as if he was the one who was sick. “Don’t you have anyone to celebrate it with?” 

“Well, my partner cannot make it, sadly.” The older looked at the child with a solid expression and reassured him by smiling slightly.

“I’ll celebrate it with you then!” The small Jun regained his joyful aura and smiled at Minghao again while humming a birthday song. 

* * *

Minghao stirs and wakes up for the nth time, even though he felt helpless throughout the day at least he was able to rest better than the past few days. He was able to look at his surroundings with ease than the swerving of objects he was seeing a while ago. 

Junhui was nowhere to be seen again, and after a few minutes he sat up and reached for the curtains. He was greeted with the tall houses dipped in the moonlight, the solemn ambiance relaxing his mind. 

He has to write for his mother to tell him his reason for not visiting her and he’d have to restock their rations of food tomorrow. It was odd to not hear Junhui’s usual voice while he was in the house. But maybe it was for the better, to not make his calm emotions transition back to his sour feelings that stretched for days.

The creak of the door made Minghao look at the tiny silhouette. The child padded towards him, his small steps gently creating a noise. The older opened the lamp beside him and saw Junhui who was grinning at him widely with his hands beside his back. 

“Happy Birthday Minghao-hyung! I made something for you!” Junhui then presented a paper with a playful whoosh coming past his lips and gave it to him.

As he held the small paper, Minghao could only smile at the child’s gift; scribbled cats littered the paper with an illustration of a cake the felines of many hues have surrounded. A drawing who seemed to be Minghao was seen holding a present beside the cake with a small curve drawn on his face.

“Thank you, this is beautiful.” Minghao feels the wet tears gathering on the rim of his eyes. Junhui was always thoughtful in every way. Even as a child, youth did not stop his lover from becoming sincere with everything he does. 

He was becoming too emotional and he didn’t like how he could feel the trickle of teardrops. Minghao hates how he can see the small smile on Junhui’s face, how his cheeks curve because of it and how the glint of his eyes are just as how Junhui would look at him everyday after coming home. 

“It’s no biggie, I also saw this when I was in your art room!” Junhui took a moderately small box from his pocket and with his two hands, he gave it to the other.

When Minghao opened the box a small note fell from his lap, as he scanned the note he knew it was from Junhui. His thin handwriting of a happy birthday and the messy scribble of a cat holding a heart was obvious enough. 

He finally scanned what’s inside and what he saw was a dainty necklace with a glinting emerald dangling on the fine golden chain. Minghao pursed his lips and cradled the item onto his palm. Junhui went closer to him and stared at the gift with wide eyes. The cold metal against his skin did not deter the warmth gathering on his cheeks and the wetness of his eyes. 

The child closed the gap between Minghao and wiped his tears with his small fingers. He looked at Minghao closely, his feet jittering out of nervousness. “You don’t like it?” 

“I love it, tears of joy is all” Minghao placed his hand on the small boy’s shoulder and ruffled his short hair as he smiled at him. He wants to embrace the child with all his might but he doesn’t want the boy to catch his sickness. 

The jewelry was one of the items displayed in the store near the edge of town, he saw it a few months ago but blindingly went past it after seeing its price. Junhui must have been visiting the shops near the area but from foot it takes thirty minutes to make it to the shops filled with rich nobles.

He placed the gift back to the container and placed it on his bedside table along with the small drawing. He mindlessly tells Jun to come with him to clean up before resting. And as they nestle comfortably on the bed, with the child clinging onto Minghao even though he scolded the child for potentially getting sick too, small Junhui just held him more tightly and told him he was strong enough to fight it away.

As the creaking of their bed began to dwindle after the child’s mild stirring, he tapped the older’s cheek and grinned. “Was the necklace from your partner?”

Minghao opened his eyes and looked at Junhui who was hugging his arm. “Yes it was”

“What are they like?”

The older looked at Junhui warmly and felt the boy’s hand patting his cheek. “Well, he’s the kindest person I’ve ever met and he cooks the best dishes whenever he gets home.” 

Minghao was not great when it comes to compliments but the word ‘kind’ was the whole embodiment of Junhui and held many attributes he’d have to unpack for quite a long time. He was beautiful, caring and sensitive to people’s feelings. Minghao knew that the stars were of his favor when they aligned him with Jun.

“I’ll practice how to cook too! So when I visit you again I can give you food.” Minghao laughed at the younger’s energetic response. 

“Are you planning to woo me?”

Junhui released a yawn, his eyes were now shut but a small smile did not leave his adorable face. “Well, when I grow up I want to be just like your partner and make them happy just like you!”

“I’m sure they will be.” As the night began to settle and the moon remained hanging on the black canvas, Junhui’s body began to stay still with an even breathing beside Minghao who’s smile was unfading while sleeping in pure bliss.

When Minghao woke up from the heavy raindrops drizzling their roof, he dazely stirred to sleep once more to dive into his dream. When he felt a warm body beside him clinging onto his waist and legs twisting with his, he looked at the figure once again and saw Junhui nestled beside him in his adult form. 

Minghao could only sigh, a subtle grin invading his face as he embraced the other who was looking now at him with a wide grin, his eyes creased and his nose scrunching.

“I love you” Junhui says after a second, he nuzzles his face on the crook of the boy’s neck.

Minghao intertwines his hand with Junhui’s and kisses the other’s head. “I love you too, darling.”

They spend the whole day inside their home, with the scent of Junhui’s favorite meat and soup drifting inside their home and the loud radio echoing its soft tunes. Minghao can conclude that this was the best birthday yet, and judging from the small drawing given to him, he has another frame to hang beside Junhui’s child photo.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to Minghao! 
> 
> This is a separate work from the 5 year old minghao i wrote, but they can be from the same universe!! My other fic had a lot of positive feedback and I’d like to thank you all! 
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/sheepweeps)
> 
> : D


End file.
